Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state under the Clinton administration, slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what she termed as “interfering” with America’s internal policies and affairs.

Mr. Netanyahu is planning to speak before Congress, at Speaker John Boehner’s invite, despite the objections of the White House and Democratic lawmakers, particularly those affiliated with the Congressional Black Caucus.

“I don’t want to interfere in Israeli internal affairs, but it strikes me that there is an awful lot going on in his neighborhood in the Middle East, and that’s where he should be,” she said.

Iran’s government-run television took her statement and ran with it, noting at the same time that Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joseph R. Biden have announced plans to boycott the Israeli leader’s speech, set for March 3.